Walk me through the Valley

Disclaimer: Characters and premise are the property of Kazue Kato. I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit fun.

Epilogue: Ceremony

"I think I've outdone myself," Yoshikuni announced as she threw open the door and gestured for Rin to go in and see. "It wasn't easy finding something appropriate and then adapting it for you in the time allowed."

Rin blinked at the suit of samurai armor sitting on top of the heavily polished chest. It was composed of dark metal scales joined by indigo blue lacings and backed with a combination of darkly stained leather and vivid blue silks. "I'm gonna feel like a kid playing dress up," he grimaced.

Yoshikuni laughed. "Who doesn't in formal dress? But the High Council said formal's the order of the day and symbolism is important and you're a knight. You need to be dressed as a knight."

"How I even put this stuff on?" Rin asked. "I'm going to trip over myself in front of everyone."

Izumo let herself in. She was dressed in her miko outfit with a shear flowered drape over her shoulders to lend additional formality, her long hair pulled back into a simple ponytail at the base of her neck.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Rin said forgetting Yoshikuni and the armor completely. "I thought you hated me doing this?"

"I do," Izumo replied. She grimaced. "But you're going to do it anyway so…" She turned to Yoshikuni. "I know how to assist him with the armor," she said dismissively.

Yoshikuni resisted the urge to wish them luck in sorting out their fight.

Once the door shut behind the other girl, Izumo turned to Rin. "Let's get some things straight," she declared. "First, if I turn down a proposal from you it won't be because you're a demon. It might be because I don't want to hurt you or it might be because I have my own reasons for not wanting it. But I don't give a damn about your father, so don't imply that I do. Second, get up the nerve to kiss me before you bring up marriage."

"I'm sorry," Rin said. "And you want me to kiss you? Really?"

Izumo knelt to tie the suneate over Rin's shins, conveniently ducking her head in the process. "We've been dating for over a term. We're not ten, you could definitely do a little more than carrying my books to class."

Next Izumo wrapped the brocade haidate around Rin's waist, checking that small metal scales covering the material were correctly aligned to protect without hindering movement.

"I know I can't make everyone like me," Rin admitted. He held out his arms so Izumo could pull the kote over them. First the left then the right, Izumo tied the protective sleeves across his chest and wrapped the cords around his lower arm to snug them in place. "But you guys get hurt when people go after me. Just look at the crap with the Order this summer: Me trying to fight the demons with the True Cross Exorcists while they were trying to stab me in the back and Bon being right in the middle of it. I can't keep on like that. If the oath's what it takes to convince the Myodha I'm on their side, then it's worth it."

"You shouldn't have to," Izumo said. She opened the breastplate and held it up while Rin ducked into it then she tied it shut beneath his right arm. "Why should you have to prove what is assumed of everyone else?"

"Because I was born," Rin shrugged.

Izumo handed Rin his swords and the obi. "Sometimes I want to tear the whole world apart," she admitted. "I get so sick of things not being fair. Sometimes it just doesn't seem like it's worth the bother, just tear it down and start again."

Rin used the long strip of cloth to secure all three of his swords around his waist. "I think there's plenty worth protecting," he said.

Izumo went up on tip-toe to put the kabuto on his head. The crest was an emblem of a flame, remenbering the tattoo on Yaozo's face Izumo wondered if the armor had originally belonged to someone in the Shima family. "If Suguro hurts you, I'll find a way to break the oath," she promised. "Whatever I have to do."

"You won't have to," Rin replied. "I trust Bon, I trust you. It's okay to have bonds with people you trust."

Izumo stepped back surveyed him for a moment. "There. You look great," she said with a small smile.

"I'll probably drop the helmet when I have to take it off," Rin worried.

Torako fussed with Bon's dark robes and straightened the folds and adjusting the scarf draped around his neck. "You're sure you won't shave your head?" she asked.

"Mom, enough about my hair already," Bon growled. "I like it and besides if Rin walks in and sees me with my head shaved he's gonna fall over laughing and that'll make a mess of the mood."

Torako smiled. "Alright, perhaps not today," she agreed. "Are you ready for this?"

Bon nodded. "Yeah. The original promise we made was to look out for each other and I'm not going back on my word today."

"I leave for a week, tell them to stay out of trouble and what happens?" Angel complained to Lightning as the pair approached the temple they'd been directed to by the Kyoto Office. "They go find the older brother of the very demon I'd decided was too dangerous for them and take HIM on without my support."

Lightning glanced up at Angel from beneath his hat. "You're going to give yourself grey hairs," he said.

They spotted Mephisto standing between two of the temple buildings, hovering on the outskirt of the gathering and went to join him. The two late-comers slipped inside Myodha compound just in time to see Rin walk across the square to Bon then kneel. "He couldn't possibly…" Angel gasped.

"Shh," Mephisto rebuked.

Rin felt a strange calm falling over him as he knelt before Bon. He removed his swords and lay them at his side then took off the helmet and tucked it beneath his arm. In spite of all his worries his hands didn't fumble at all as they undid the ties. Now that he was in front of everyone and it was for real everything seemed to fall into place. Lastly he took the Koma Sword and raised it up balanced on his open palms.

"I, Okumura Rin, return to the Myodha what my chosen father stole from them. Along with the return of Kurikara I also pledge my service to Suguro Ryuji for so long as he lives as remuneration for the years that Kurikara was withheld from her true owners," Rin began, his voice clear and strong. As he spoke he felt the terms of the oath settling around him.

Bon stepped forward and put his hands over Rin's. Then he paused with Kurikara still held between the two of them.

"Suguro Ryuji, I willingly and gladly swear to faithfully serve you to the best of my ability, to protect your interests in all things and to never cause you harm," Rin continued.

Bon took a deep breath and lifted Kurikara out of Rin's hands. He drew the blade. There was a sudden gasp from the audience as blue flames erupted from the sword and wrapped themselves around Rin. Spontaneously, every familiar bound to the Myodha materialized. Karura perched on Bon's shoulder. Above the gathering Ucchusma hovered regally. Izumo's foxes gathered around her as well, baring witness.

Rin ran his hand along Kurikara's blade then pressed his bloody thumb print to the scroll the Myodhan High Council had presented him with. "In blood I swear that no other oath shall supercede my pledge to you."

"I accept your oath," Bon stated. Then he cast a challenging look at the High Council and continued, "In return, I, Suguro Ryuji, swear that I will never take your service for granted. I will protect your honor as if it were my own. For so long as I live, you will be welcome in my home and in my family."

As Bon spoke Rin saw the nascent bonds between Bon and all the Myodha that would come to term once he became high priest. The bonds were tarnished from years of suspicion bred of secrecy, but with the flush of victory running through the crowd the underlying soundness of the bonds shone through. Bon repeated Rin's gesture, cutting his hand on Kurikara's blade then pressing a bloody thumb print onto the scroll. "I swear this on the blood of Fukaku which runs through my veins."

With Bon's actions the intricate weave of bonds that formed the Myodha opened and expanded to take Rin in. Acting on impulse Rin let loose his flames. Blue fire race across the web of promises. The lies that had tarnished the bonds were already exposed, the mood of the crowd was one of triumph, of new beginnings.

After a few moments Rin's flames had consumed the tarnish leaving behind a brightly shining network: The familiar's bonds to their tamers, the Myodha's bonds to the clan and to the land they protected, their alliance with Ucchusma, all looping back and converging on Bon. Rin, Ucchusma, Karura and the salamanders burned bright, throwing the light of their flames up against the night. The earthy naga banked their fires, providing shelter and stability. And through it all were woven ties between Assiah and Gehenna, binding the two worlds into a single purpose. Ucchusma's voice rose in song and the bonds glowed so brightly that they manifested for all to see. Everyone stared around them with looks of awe and wonder.

At the back of the gathering Mephisto turned to Angel. "I would never bind myself thus. But even I have to commended Rin-kun for his choice. There is a certain beauty in the bonds when they are as they were meant to be: Entered into freely by all parties, with hearts and souls aligned, drafted not to take advantage or to be circumvented but to be honored by all."

"Since time immemorial Satan has sought to sever such ties between Assiah and Gehenna. Today, with this display, his son has thrown a gauntlet at Satan's feet. Will you be there to aid Rin when his father takes that gauntlet up?"

Notes: I'll be going back to "Staring into the Abyss" shortly. Shiemi, Shima and Amaimon will be showing up there along with Yukio and Shura.